4.28.2026 - Gladys DeBruyne

Christ - Submitted to the Father (Self-Control)

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

My name is Gladys DeBruyne. I am a member of the River Church along with my husband who is the pastor of visitation. I am a retired educator, having worked over 25 years, primarily in kindergarten and first grade. We are natives of West Michigan living there for 35 years before we moved to California in 1991. We have two grown children, 5 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren.

Psalm 139:1. You have searched me, Oh God and you know me. Vs. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

How God knows us.

The knowledge of God is our focus this week for our devotions.

Today, let’s look how God knows us. Psalm 139 tells us He intimately knows us. How? Well, He made us. It also tells us he knows us and has a plan for us since the beginning of creation.

Let’s think about that for a second. When you are planning to make something or to build something, you start with a plan. God started you with His plan, a unique plan that He designed. Back to your project.

If you carefully thought it out, you know exactly what is needed and how the parts are going to go together. You know what your creation is designed for and how it works. God designed us much the same way. He has a specific goal in mind for our lives. The Bible says in Psalm 139 “You have searched me and know me.” Further down the Psalm, David says “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” God carefully weaved all our being together - why - what is our purpose - to honor and glorify our Maker. He gave us our personality, our thoughts; He knows every minute detail about us.

That is so mind-blowing, isn't it! He knows us better than we know ourselves. How can that be? It is so difficult to comprehend that when it comes to knowing us, He knows everything about us. And it is just not us, but this entire universe which was created by Him and for Him. He is active in our world and with us intimately.

With that idea in mind, that God has the ultimate knowledge about us, we can conclude that knowledge about ourselves can only come through knowing God. He makes Himself open to us, ready to reveal to us His being as well as His plan for us. The knowledge of God starts with knowing God and interacting with Him. Only when we know God, can we know ourselves.

My point is this: He is our Creator, who better to know us than Him? Who else should we turn to when we have questions about ourselves and where we are headed in this life. We often hear the phrase I need to find myself. Where should that search begin - with the Creator of the universe who made you knit all your parts together much like an artist paints a picture.

The best part of God creating you is that He ended His masterpiece with breathing His spirit in you. I challenge you to see yourself as God sees you - He created you perfect and whole, He put HIs spirit in you so that you can know Him and what you were created to be.

We are created in God’s image - He knows us, He wants us to know Him. For us, this is a lifelong relationship that keeps building if we choose to do so. God didn’t just create us and then leave us to work things out here on earth ourselves. He promised He would be with us and walk with us. When sin entered this world, the relationship with God was broken. But He chose to rebuild it by sending His son to take our wrongs and make them right with the sacrifice of Himself. God is at work redeeming us - molding us back into His image, what He created us to be.

Do you want to know him? If you have a relationship with Him, are you open to delving deep within your soul to know Him more? If you are, ask Him to show you His inner spirit within you - when you search for God, He will be found. And I venture that you will indeed find yourself as well. As the knowledge of God is sought after, He will reveal Himself to you and reveal His perfect plan for your life.